The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 185: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 183 ‘*And you are——”’ » ‘‘A United States Setactivo: & Esther looked at him with renewed surprise, ‘mingled with curiosity. She had often wondered at the mystery which enveloped him, but had never imagined that such a bright, laughing, dashing fel- — low as Sycamore Dan could be in reality such a dread personage as detectives are commonly supposed to be. Buta roguish expression soon overspread her face. ‘Then that elaborate story about your life on the Wabash was all moonshine?’’ : Dan actually blushed. ‘Tt am afraid | shall have to plead guilty, Miss Esther. But I had work to do, and to have told the whole truth about myself would not have been like business—don’t you see?’’ The detective began to feel a vague sort of won- der at himself. A month ago he would have gone on in the even tenor of his way, acted as best suited the performance of his duty, without a single mo- mentary thought of explaining his course to anybody. He had always maintained that no person had the remotest right to ask his motives for any act he chose to perform, so long as his course was not criminal. -It was nobody’s business, he thought, and yet, here he was, actually apologizing for having used deception. And toa woman, at that! It was a new sensation, and though shame is not enjoyable under. ordinary circumstances, yet he really felt ac- tual satisfaction. The whole thing was inexplicable to him. | ‘‘Well, I forgive you!” said Esther, arches “But you mustn’t do it any more. Iam afraid detectives © as a rule are not reliable persons. They cannot be, — 7” we ~ Ecomicbooks.com >